Hi I just wanted to get your oppinion on the conformation of my mare. I had never thought about it untill someone a few days said she had great conformation to be a dessage horse. Which i have no plans on doing haha she is just a trail hack (or will be soon hopefully). Also would you breed from her? She has beautiful temperment and nice movement ( i think she spends to much time with the arab down at the paddock haha) but does she have nice enough conformation to pass down? She is completely sound. The only issue she has is her thoroughbred feet.:-|
Ps. excuse her fat tummy, she was a rescue so she has just be chilling in a paddock gaining weight :D

Southern Belle

12-27-2011 09:13 PM

What breed is she? Her hocks are very defined and strong, so she would be a good jumper.

stefanixx

12-28-2011 12:34 AM

She is a TB :) I always thought she probably had potential as a jumper. When I got her she was so skinny but her back end was still pretty chunky and muscly haha

Gremmy

12-28-2011 05:44 AM

I'll give it a go.

She has a nice head, although the nostrils are more thick walled than I usually see in TBs, which isn't really an issue if she's just a trail hack. Head is slightly large in proportion to the body, but she has a calm, kind appearance.

Throatlatch is a bit thick, and she has an ewe neck that is also quite long. Shoulderblade is short with a long humerus, creating a slightly upright shoulder. She appears to be a bit sway backed, as well as fairly long in the back.

She has a nice big barrel, and looks to me like she may have foaled before. She seem a bit shallow in the girth area, making the belly appear larger in relation, but it doesn't seem huge to me. Since she was a rescue I'd imagine she has a ways to go in building condition and the front end should fill out a bit over time.

The front legs lack condition, she appears to be slightly calf kneed and ties in at the knee as well? It's difficult to judge from the photos provided. I also think I might be seeing a slight bowed tendon in her right leg, but again it could just be the photos.

The hind end is quite muscular in relation to the rest of her body - if she raced previously, that could explain it, I've known many OTTBs who lost condition after coming off the track but never (or hadn't yet) lost the "racing bum". She has a nice long hip, quite sloped by not excessively so. The hind legs seem quite a bit stockier in relation to the front legs as well. Long gaskin with short hocks, and I think I see a bit of a sickle hocked appearance as a result of that, but it doesn't appear to be excessive. The legs appear short in relation to the body but I think this is due to the long back.

I won't comment much on the pasterns/hoof area, as she desperately needs a trim. I'm not sure what you mean by "thoroughbred feet", I'm assuming it's the common belief that thoroughbreds generally have weak hooves, but all I'm seeing is overgrown feet and the resulting flaring and chipping, nothing a competent farrier couldn't handle. All that really stands out to me is that the right hind appears to be clubbed.

She looks like she could be a good overall pleasure horse, possibly even a low level dressage mount once she is better conditioned, although her neck may give her some trouble. I would not breed this horse, with care she can be a good useful little mare but there are enough faults that I would not want to see passed on to a foal, and nothing exceptional enough to warrant breeding her.

Faceman

12-28-2011 08:40 AM

I'll just address your intended use - trails.

She appears to have a relatively high ratio of slow twitch fibers in her muscle composition for a TB, which lends itself to endurance rather than power. Her neck is not very substantial, which farther reduces power, she is light of bone, and of course being a TB, her hooves may or may not be solid, with the likelihood being they are weak in relation to other breeds.

IMO she would be suitable for flat trail work, likely pretty fair at flat endurance work (for a TB), but not powerful and hardy enough for really rugged mountaineous trails without frequent rests and being extremely careful with her hooves and legs...

Horsegears

12-28-2011 10:17 PM

She is leggy (TB) and has moderate muscle shape. The wither
is slightly forward set and the back is on the longer side.
Girther depth is OK adding some core strength. Now significantly
the hind is strong and the strength of the topline. You may
also note a good longer femur which provides a good wither
set and ensures a good deep upper hind. Her body shape is
likely to be longer. We also have a beautfully shaped, marked and
attractive head (Love the blaze and width between the eyes),
especially Thoroughbred considered. The neck is leaner which is
standard for many TB's and may well improve with some educated
riding.

Many bone structure features inlcludng her muscle shape
(not size) indicate a speedier type which almost
certainly will not ideally be suited to endurance. An example
is the strong hind (Which you correctly noted when you
recieved her), which against popular opinion is not actually
suited to endurance as its an explosive power formation - rather
than an efficient formation. Significantly the hind does suit this horses
type and it strongly indicates a sprinter/speed type (Not stayer
or endurance). This sprinter type also goes with the foirward set
wither and a leaner forequarters in comparison. You purchased
her for trial riding and fun and (perhaps) some dressage and for
that she should be a fine nice looking type (Good smart
purchase as quiet TB's can be worth there weight in gold). :-)

If she had racetrack preformance (won races) she could possess
sprinting racehorse breeding potential, but as a pleasure proposition
honestly she is not quite up to it based on her overall conformation.
Not quite enough athletic traits, and may pass down some lesser
desired ones. I trust you wanted an honest opinion you could make
us of.

Horsegears

12-28-2011 10:30 PM

My comments above based on top photo which
is square. If you take more photos feel free to
upload and I can have another look for breeding
potential , as one or two images are not always
typcial of the horse. :-)

Horsegears

12-28-2011 10:46 PM

Adjustment to above. You may Also note a good longer femur
which provides a good stifle Set and ensures a good
deep upper hind. Thanks

stefanixx

12-29-2011 12:54 AM

Thankyou for all those comments :) Im aware her feet are shocking in that last photo :) she had been out for to months recooperating and gaining weight. that photo was just after she had been brought in for the first time. She was trialed and came last in all 3 of her trials haha so she is a bit of a slow one :P And yes she has the prettiest face ive ever seen on a thoroughbred, she knows it too haha. She isnt in much work at the moment so she isnt looking the best she could. Im starting her rebreaking soon :)

Horsegears

12-29-2011 01:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stefanixx
(Post 1284194)

haha so she is a bit of a slow one

Don't worry, all Thoroughbreds can move along if they desire. Although you should be OK, beware in a pack or a large open space as some just off the track can be prone to bolt. You never know which ones will.